Ordinary People Film Analysis

Erikson’s Theory is divided into periods of development in which an individual goes through a crisis. Depending on the outcome of said crisis, one would gain a positive or negative trait. In the theory, there is a set of crisis’ that nurture the most development. These are mainly the middle years, from about 3-40 years old. Dallas Winston can be more easily analyzed through these years considering that the most information about his past self is revealed in that time period. During the first period within this set, from 3-5 years

Calvin reflected to Ann that she was not here last time. Calvin further asked about Ann’s daughter. Ann was quite surprised that she was not aware that Calvin knew she had a daughter. We did not tell them information about us, so it could be just his fantasy that Ann had a child to look after who is more important than the group.

Erikson’s theory of personality is based on his eight stages of development. In each of these eight stages of

The film “Ordinary People” is story about the Jarrett family, an upper middle class family living in the picture perfect suburb of Lake Forest, Illinois. The story begins shortly after the tragic and untimely death of the oldest son, Jordan (also referred to as Buck), who died in a boating accident, that his younger brother Conrad, survived. When a traumatic event such as this occurs some families unite and battle the grief and heartache together, as a unit, while others become emotionally isolated and detached from one another. This is the case for the Jarrett's. The depth of grief that each individual character is suffering is uncovered as the film progresses. This tale is

Poor Calvin can’t seem to catch a break, he has big ideas but it seems that he doesn’t have the leadership qualities to see them through. His rage has been building throughout the season, with Coy handling the bubbling resentment and exasperation the role demands with aplomb throughout. We all know where it will lead him, back to his wife and brother; if he can’t control the Brotherhood he will attempt to control that part of his life instead. What follows is brutal, and emotional, as we’ve come to expect from both of the Bunker brothers, both individually and together. As for their father’s mantra – there’s only one way a dogfight ends – this is one I don’t think he could have seen coming.

In the film Ordinary People, parents Beth and Calvin Jarrett struggle to connect with their son Conrad. Their oldest son, Buck, passed away in a boating accident earlier and have not made an effort to create the crucial conversation needed in order for them all to move on. Beth uses silence by struggling to connect herself with the family and avoiding all contact with the idea of her son’s passing. Calvin also uses silence by making an effort to be there for his son, but he struggles and cannot find a way in. Conrad, who witnessed the accident, becomes depressed and has a history with suicidal tendencies. He uses both silence and violence throughout the movie to exercise his emotions. If they were to use one of many conflict management

Eric Erikson was one of the most famous theorists of the twentieth century; he created many theories. One of the most talked about theories is his theory of psychosocial development. This is a theory that describes stages in which an individual should pass as they are going through life. His theory includes nine stages all together. The original theory only included eight stages but Erikson‘s wife found a ninth stage and published it after his death. The nine stages include: trust vs. mistrust, autonomy vs. shame and doubt, initiative vs. guilt, industry vs. inferiority, identity vs. identity confusion, intimacy vs. isolation, generativity vs. stagnation, integrity vs. despair, and hope and faith vs. despair (Crandell and Crandell,

In the movie “Ordinary People” Conrad and his family struggle with their relationship with each other. There are many arguments and fights between them and most of these are caused by a lack of communication between one another. In an argument people use their natural instincts to react, and this reaction is either a fight or a flight reaction. In this film both fight and flight is demonstrated with each Conrad, Beth, and Calvin.

On the other hand, Calvin has a different set of life values than that of Beth. Working in a law office as a tax attorney, working in relative isolation at a desk job provides him a different lenses on the world than Beth’s. Contrary to Beth, Calvin rarely spends time with friends and opts out of dinner party attendance. He would prefer to spend his time promoting open lines of communication lines with his family to assist in the grievance process of their son. This clearly opposes the bottled-up approach practiced by Beth. Calvin is a caring human being and very compassionate.

In the movie Ordinary People, the Jarrett family is faced with traumatic events that provoke situations of crucial communication. The family members, Conrad (son), Beth (mother), and Calvin (father), have to deal with the loss of their beloved older son and brother. The loss of Buck hit Conrad, especially hard, resting displaced guilt on his shoulders. Conrad buckles under the guilt and pain, allowing him to draw in the dark emotions that fill his heart and mind attempting to end his life and end the agony. The opening of the movie is set in the time following Conrad’s release from the hospital when he returns to a quiet home with little love and compassion released from his mother's heart. He returned to a place of more pain. Beth, the mother,

Erikson believed that people develop in psychosocial stages. He emphasized developmental change throughout the human life span. In Erikson's theory, eight stages of development result as we go through the life span. Each stage consists of a crisis that must be faced. According to Erikson, this crisis is not a catastrophe but a turning point. The more an individual resolves the crises successfully, the healthier development will be.

The second theory examined is Erik Erikson’s eight stages of psychosocial development. Each stage in Erikson’s theory involves a conflict/crisis that a person must work through to evolve their personality. Rosenthal (1981) explains that, “Each stage arises because a new dimension of social interaction

throughout his life was going through an identity crisis. “In Erik Erikson 's stages of

Conrad's father does most of the worrying because he blames himself for Conrad's suicide attempt.   Though the logical part of Calvin's brain tells him it wasn't his fault, he still believes that he should have paid more attention to Conrad. This is usually the role a mother plays with her son. Calvin is not an ordinary parent. He shows genuine concern and is trying to make things right before his world falls apart. Beth, on the other hand, thinks that Calvin worries too much about Conrad.  She is so caught up in trying to maintain her perfect life that she becomes a cold-hearted, superficial shell of a woman.

The main reason IT took Meg and Charles’ father is because he is a gifted scientist and they wanted to use his smarts. When Calvin and Meg found her father Meg was faint because her father went to reach for her wrist but there was a slight jerk. The book stated that it felt like it broke every bone in her body. While she was lying on the floor, her father heard her heart beating and told Calvin she is still alive. Also, Calvin and the father had this conversation: “Her father: "Yes. Nothing seemed important any more but rest, and of course IT offered me complete rest. I had almost come to the conclusion that I was wrong to fight, that IT was right after all, and everything I believed in most passionately was nothing but a madman's dream. But then you and Meg came in to me, broke through my prison, and hope and faith returned." Calvin: "Sir, why were you on Camazotz at all? Was there a particular reason for going there?" Her father, with a frigid laugh: "Going to Camazotz was a complete accident. I never intended even to leave our own solar system. I was heading for Mars. Tessering is even more complicated than we had